Grant Writing 101: Step Two

The first step is to harness an idea.  Now that you have an exciting idea, it is time to flesh out the project.  Apple-ka-dab-ara is a program in which high school chemistry students partner with kindergarten children to ignite a love your science.  Apple-ka-dab-ara is a play on Applemen, the high school's mascot and abra-ka-dab-ara, because the program creates science magic.  Recall the first step in grant writing is to have an exciting idea with a clear vision or objective.

Now, it is time to consider your idea more carefully.  Apple-ka-dab-ara involves both high school students and kindergarten children.  There are many considerations.  Which experiments will the children do?  Are they safe?  What equipment or materials are necessary? How much will they cost?  What is the role of the high school students?  Will they plan or simply implement the experiments?   Are there plans to field test the experiments, perhaps with one small class?  The more details you provide, the more likely the project will be funded.

Apple-ka-dab-ara was sponsored by a science club at the high school.  Club members signed up to participate.  They selected experiments, printed directions, tested them, and prepped and packed all of the materials.  The students delivered all of the supplies to the neighboring school in advance, to set up twelve, rotating stations in the multi-purpose room.  The high school students arrived the next day to man the stations.  Typically, twenty students helped.  Students greeted the kindergarten children, handed them a grocery bag and slipped t-shirts over their heads to protect their clothes.  Each group was sent to a different station with at least two high school students at each table.  Adults took photos to document the program.  Some of the high school students served as runners or as part of the clean-up crew.  Apple-ka-dab-ara was a hit!  The high school students loved to see the expressions on the kindergarten children as they performed the experiments.  The little ones learned science was fun.  Think through the details for your project.

Next topic: the proposal.